Highland Scrutinizes Budget Plan

HIGHLAND BEACH -- Town officials are scrutinizing the recently published 1986-87 town budget in anticipation of the Aug. 29 budget hearing.

The largest chunk of the $2.5 million budget is allocated for police and fire protection.

The town once again will contract with the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue service in fiscal year 1986-87 for the sum of $626,000.

The previous year`s expenditure for county fire services was approximately $649,000.

``Due to time constraints, we`re in the bucket for this with the county for (the 1986-87 fiscal year),`` said Town Manager Hugh Williams. ``We`re still looking at alternatives.``

``We`re looking into whether or not we can eventually have our own service,`` Town Commissioner John Basso said. ``We have to do the research and tabulate the figures to see if we can pay for our own service.``

The Town Commission heard a presentation in June from a private fire-rescue company that said it could provide the town`s services for less than the county charges.

If the commission does decide to contract with a private company, the contract would be for fiscal year 1987-88.

The budget also allocates approximately $365,000 for police protection. The bulk of that amount -- $245,000 -- is for salaries and benefits for the 10 person staff. This is approximately the same amount that was budgeted for the current fiscal year.

Commissioners were hesitant to comment on the document that they received on Friday and had not yet reviewed the material.

``I haven`t had time to go over it to my own satisfaction,`` Basso said. ``At the hearing we`ll go over it with a fine tooth comb.``

Because of computer problems, the budget was late in being published this year, Williams said.

However, the town is well within the calendar for approval of municipal budgets, according to Buz Roberts, an economist with the Florida Department of Revenue.

Basso did say he considers the budget a ``tight budget.`` He is especially impressed with the $150,000 capital improvement program, proposed by Williams.

The program includes water treatment improvements, searching for a new well field to ensure the town`s future water supply, and a new telephone system at Town Hall.

``We`re more or less modernizing Town Hall and preparing for the future,`` Basso said.

At their July 29 commission meeting, Town Commissioners set the tentative tax rate at approximately $4.13 per $1,000 of asssessed valuation, but that rate may decrease before the final budget is adopted, according to town officials.

The recently adopted rate, which represents a 15 percent increase over last year`s tax rate, includes fees for sewer and garbage service.

Property owners have been paying the fees each month. But, the commissioners have been debating whether to include the fees in one lump sum to be paid as part of the tax bill.

Some of the commissioners have reservations about this method of payment, however.

``There is unfairness to some people in town,`` said Commissioner Betty Jean Stewart. ``(If the fees were incorporated into the tax rate) they would be applied to vacant land. Also, a more expensive place would pay more (for the services) than a less expensive place. (The more expensive property) may not have any garbage, it may be a unit bought as an investment. This is an example of the inequities. I`m worried about how many people would be affected by this and how uneven it is across town.``

The Town Commission will hold their first budget hearing on Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. The second hearing will be held the following Friday on Sept. 5 at Town Hall.